Newspaper Hats

K-Gr 2—Georgie and her dad visit Grandpa, but she is not certain that he will remember her. Together, they look through old photos, and Grandpa recounts memories, but he still cannot remember Georgie. A love of making paper hats keeps the man and his granddaughter connected, despite his struggles with memory. In this title, an award-winning Australian author tackles the confusion and sadness of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia from a child's perspective. There is no mention of the actual conditions, but by sticking to concepts that young children are beginning to understand, Cummings creates a very accessible story. Swan's soft watercolor and pencil illustrations help emphasize the theme of memory, from Grandpa's photos to the very detailed newspapers throughout the tale. At the end of the story, Grandpa loses his paper hat to a gust of wind. Although Georgie tries her best to retrieve it, she cannot—just like her grandpa's memories. Despite the lost hat, Georgie has hope that they can make a new one together. The last section highlights Cummings's sensitive take on a difficult subject, especially for children.